René Urtreger - Early Trios 1954-1957 (2018)

Back in the early 1960s, bebop pioneer released a classic album Bud Powell in Paris. Playing off of that album’s title, you could argue that Rene’ Urtreger was the Bud Powell of Paris, as his touch, drive, verve and song selection shows that he deeply imbibed from Powell’s well. This collection of mid 50s trio sessions with Benoit Quersin-Paul Rovere/b and Jean-Louis Viale-Al Levitt/dr in concert and studio setting have Urtreger burning the bop flame at both ends.

The concert from the l’Apollo Theatre in Paris and the Pathe’Magellan studio during 1954 and ’55, respectively, has Urtegre, Quersin and Viale running through a mix of the Powell songbook along with self penned originals. The team is torrid on “dance of trhe Infidels,” “Parisian Thoroughare” and “Bouncing With Bud” as Urtreger mixes rich lyricism with left handed jabs. His own “A La Bud” and “Mercedes” are bleeding from the bebop veins as well, while “A Night in Tunisia” has wonderful right handed digital work on the solo. From April and September of 1957, Urtreger teams with Rovere and Levit for a mix of originals and jazz standards. The team ripples through “Tune Up” and bounces on “Bloomdido” while the swinging Count Basie piece “Jumpin’ At The Woodside” is a four alarm fire. Urtreger caught the bebop bug and was celebrative, not imitative about it. A real joy revisiting the taproot of modern jazz when it still had a smile.